The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has barred two Port Health officers from working at Accra International Airport and all other airports under its management after they were found to have extorted money from a passenger.
The action marks the first major enforcement measure under GACL’s newly introduced anti-extortion campaign aimed at eliminating illegal charges and improving service delivery at the country’s airports.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 6, GACL said the two officers, who were stationed at Terminal 3 of Accra International Airport, were found on August 5 to have charged a foreign passport holder US$40 for a Yellow Fever Card instead of the approved fee of US$20.
As a result, the company said the officers’ airport access had been revoked with immediate effect.
“Their ID cards to operate in the terminal have been withdrawn and deactivated. As of Thursday, 6th August 2026, the two officers are no longer permitted to work at Accra International Airport or any other GACL-operated airport,” the statement said.
The sanctions come a day after GACL announced a series of measures to tackle extortion at airports, following a high-level stakeholder meeting held on August 5.
The measures include the introduction of a “mystery shopping” programme, under which undercover individuals will monitor service delivery and expose personnel involved in extortion, as well as a “name and shame” policy, stricter disciplinary measures and a dedicated public reporting hotline.
According to GACL, the initiative is intended to strengthen accountability and discourage the practice of soliciting money from passengers.
The company reiterated that any personnel found engaging in extortion would face disciplinary sanctions and would no longer be permitted to work at any airport or within its operational areas.
GACL also addressed a viral video circulating on social media showing a Ghana Immigration Service officer allegedly demanding money for “breakfast” from a passenger.
It said the Ghana Immigration Service had confirmed that the officer involved had since been transferred from the airport.
The company said the latest sanctions demonstrate its commitment to enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on extortion across airports under its management.
Warning airport personnel that surveillance would continue, GACL stressed that “everyone is being watched.”
It also urged passengers to support the campaign by reporting incidents of extortion through its dedicated hotline, encouraging travellers to “Spot it. Record it. Report it.”
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